Mom almost mugged, need help picking CCW pistol...

[rob145]

A snub nose .38 j frame would serve her mighty fine. Loaded with standard hornady critical defense in standard pressure 110 gr.

[Litespeeds]

I wouldn't recommend getting her a gun if she is not interested in learning and taking self defense courses with it. You are just asking for trouble. What if she accidentally shoots an innocent by standard.

My recommendation is to get her some pepper spray as this is something she can hook outside of her purse and have quicker access to.

[Cokebottle]

How snappy is the .38 LCR? I handload and can work up powder puff 158gr loads over Trail Boss for her, but wonder if you feel the low recoil defensive loads might be off putting to a new shooter.

Very snappy.
With standard 125gr loads, I put 70rds through the one my wife bought and *I* didn't want to shoot it again... and I'll drop two boxes of 357 through my SP101 with no problem.

I would recommend the P238. My wife can't operate my Shield or the Glocks.
The single action is a concern, but it has a safety. With a proper holster that protects the trigger, it's a non-issue.

[I Swan]

I met a guy recently that said his 90 year old mother could handle a revolver just fine.

[ocdan]

The G43 is much snappier than the G42. Slide is also harder to rack.



I didn't catch that mom was going to purse carry. I sometimes pocket carry the G42. In fact, it's the only gun i pocket carry (in cargo shorts). When I do, I have a kydex sleeve that fits over the trigger guard that has a large key-ring on it. I know I'm at a significant disadvantage having to use two hands to deploy the handgun, but when I pocket carry it is in cases of pocket carry vs. no carry, so I accept the limitation.



I don't think I'd be keen on a similar arrangement on a purse. They have those trigger guards tethered to lanyards that are supposed to pop the guard off on the draw. I wouldn't want to have to count on that. I think in your mom's case, the LCR might be the ticket. I've shot it in .38 special and the trigger is pretty light/smooth. It's still a snubby though.



My own 70 year-old "mom experience"...she had her Lady Smtih and Wesson for many, many years. Rarely shot it. Didn't shoot it very well. I didn't shoot it particularly well. She moved up to WA and got her CCW (very easy). Took her to the range down here and she shot the G42, an XDs in 9mm, a Shield in 9mm, a small S&W .38 I have, her own .38 special, and......a Glock 19. She has pretty small hands. She absolutely killed it with the G19. Most senior lady's purses aren't New Year's Eve party clutches. If she's purse-concealing a larger handgun might be easier to handle. Doesn't solve the safe way to store it dilemma, but it might open up some more options.

Having introduced a few women to firearms, I'm a big fan of the (expensive) P238. Easiest slide of all I own. My audience reported more comfort and accuracy than short barreled revolvers, though they were my first choice on ease of loading. Only tried P238 with stainless steel- might reduce recoil a bit with the weight. And finally... get her some training- I recommend the system they use at Artemis in Lake Forest. Good luck, and pray often!


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[clegeman]

My wife age 66 just bought a sig sauer p238 after test firing several 380's. Easy to rack and easy to conceal.


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[John Browning]

I'll add the P238 to the list of things to try. She's not an experienced shooter so the safety and single action worry me a bit, but if she likes it enough to practice then that is a win.

[sigstroker]

Beretta 86 .380.

J frame .38 reccos are ridiculous. Recoil is brutal and it's hard as hell to hit a target in a hurry. Plus you only got 5 rounds to do it.

[JayTee_IsMe]

It sounds like if you bought your father a G43 that you have access to off-rosters. I would hunt and get your mother a Ruger LCP II. It is hammer fired for the double-strike capability and they totally reworked the trigger into a nice, crisp and delightful to shoot gun. That and it is small and easy to conceal in a low recoil caliber (.380)

[fawndog]

I think a j frame 38 would be a great choice. They require much less maintenance, are safer to purse carry, pack plenty of punch and malfunctions are a non issue.

^+1

[doggie]

Someone's got a nice used Bersa Firestorm for sale for $280 in the CG marketplace now. (its not me)

[californiagal]

I hope you're going to let your mom decide what she likes.

there's a couple of really good female firearms instructors in Reno. I bet your mom would love to try out a few guns wth them.

[Q]

Man reminds me of something that happened to me once in hollywood, freeway entrance with bushes, just stopped at the light going west on hollywood blvd. and this guy pops out of the bushes and ran to my door but I gave him the crazy eye and said whats up like I wanted to fight and he kinda walked. Still kinda scary.. They cut all the bushes away there now.

[movie zombie]

sorry your mother experienced this but as noted above, take your mother to the range. if it is to be her gun it needs to be her choice. have her fire as many as possible. don't be shy re starting with a .22. if she is going to get her CCW she will need to be practicing lots....should be anyway. a caliber that she won't practice with is useless for SD. what is comfortable in the hand in a gun store may not be comfortable when shooting the thing. the more she tries out, the better her selection will be....and, yes, all metal....but even an all metal snubbie will pack some recoil so she will need to work up to that. I have a S&W model 19-2 snubbie and as much as I love it i'm not sure it is a starter pistol for your mother. still has recoil! and recoil is what she should build up a tolerance for rather than jumping into.

[pink_toaster]

LOVE LOVE LOVE my sig p238!

It was my first pistol/firearm purchase. While I could manage to rack the other guns at that time... it was hard for me and getting it to lock open, as required for the safety test was daunting.

My sig p238 I could rack with 2 fingers! LOVE IT!

Just try to get her to practice, practice, practice moving the safety to off. I still get angry at myself when shooting at the range cuz occasionally I forget to turn off the safety. I make sure to remind myself, at that time, that I'm "dead" or "attacked". And then practice more!

And absolutely: SHE MUST PICK OUT HER OWN GUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also my opinion on .380 vs 9mm or large: If she's comfortable with the size and handling of a .380 and will carry it/be comfortable enough to use it if needed... then that's the perfect size! Better to have a .380 than a 9mm she's not comfortable with and won't practice with or use!